Early and late bloomers


As we walk around our neighborhood, it's fun to watch the trees starting to bloom. One yard we pass frequently has several fruit trees, and I noticed recently that the one of the left in the attached photo was in full bloom while the one on the right shows only the very first signs of buds.
As we all know, you can look out a window and see popcorn popping on the apricot tree - apricots are the first to bloom in early spring, followed in order by peaches and cherries, and pears. Apples are the latest, the slowest.
So why do trees that are planted right next to each other, getting exactly the same amount of light and water, in the same soil with identical growing conditions - behave so differently? Some are early bloomers, and some take their sweet time to develop and produce. It's in their "genetic makeup" - they don't "choose" to do that, but nature has its patterns and they must obey.
We use the phrases "early bloomer" and "late bloomer" to talk about people too. In various contexts, some of us seem to develop more quickly and some take longer to catch up. That can apply to physical development, emotional and social maturity, intellectual abilities. And I suppose to spiritual sensitivity as well.
It's not necessarily a bad thing to be a late bloomer! Personally, give me a peach over an apricot any day. But I'm grateful for them both.
The important thing in our life experience is to not spend too much time comparing ourselves to others who may be further along in their blooming. We can get there, we can catch up. In our own good time. I #GiveThanks for the perspective that gives us all time, all the time we need, to reach our destination.

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